How popular isApple AirPods?
In September 2026, people searched for Apple AirPods by name about 14.9 million times worldwide, a 10% decrease from the previous year. These searches made up 64.5% of all global ear buds brand searches, placing Apple AirPods first out of five brands. When we asked both ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about ear buds brands, Apple AirPods appeared in four of the five answers and was the fourth most recommended of the five.
Apple AirPods is the most searched of 5 competitors and the fourth most recommended in AI answers.
Apple AirPodsShare of searches 64.5%Mentioned in 4 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 4th
JBLShare of searches 16%Mentioned in 2 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 5th
SonyShare of searches 15.5%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 1st
SoundcoreShare of searches 2.4%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 3rd
BoseShare of searches 1.6%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 2nd
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Top ear buds brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Apple AirPods was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Apple AirPods is the fourth most recommended of the five.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Sony1st
- Bose2nd
- Soundcore3rd
- Apple AirPods4th
- JBL5th
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Sony5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Soundcore5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Bose5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Apple AirPods4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- JBL2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about ear buds brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which ear buds brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best ear buds brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best ear buds brand for everyday listening?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“wireless ear buds”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“noise cancelling ear buds”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 19, 2026.
Which ear buds brands compete with Apple AirPods?
Share of searches by month for Apple AirPods, JBL, Sony, Soundcore. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Apple AirPods | JBL | Sony | Soundcore | Bose |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 70.4% | 14.3% | 12.5% | 1.9% | 0.87% |
| Nov 2025 | 68.7% | 16.1% | 12.4% | 1.8% | 1% |
| Dec 2025 | 68.1% | 16.6% | 12.5% | 1.8% | 0.99% |
| Jan 2026 | 63.7% | 17.7% | 15.7% | 2% | 0.89% |
| Feb 2026 | 63.4% | 16.4% | 16.7% | 2.6% | 0.95% |
| Mar 2026 | 66% | 15.4% | 15.3% | 2.3% | 1% |
| Apr 2026 | 58.9% | 22.3% | 15.5% | 2.4% | 0.89% |
| May 2026 | 59.6% | 20.4% | 16.1% | 3% | 0.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 60.5% | 20% | 15.8% | 2.9% | 0.88% |
| Jul 2026 | 59.2% | 19.6% | 18% | 2.3% | 0.86% |
| Aug 2026 | 59.9% | 19.1% | 17.4% | 2.6% | 0.97% |
| Sep 2026 | 64.5% | 16% | 15.5% | 2.4% | 1.6% |
| Rank | Brand | Share of searches | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 64.5% | 14.9M | +18.3% | +4.6 points | |
| 2, held 2nd | 16% | 3.7M | -8% | -3.1 points | |
| 3, held 3rd | 15.5% | 3.6M | -1.8% | -1.9 points | |
| 4, held 4th | 2.4% | 550K | 0% | -0.2 points | |
| 5, held 5th | 1.6% | 370K | +82.3% | +0.6 points |
64.5%
Held 1st. 14.9M estimated branded searches, +18.3% vs prior month. Share +4.6 points.
2.
JBL16%
Held 2nd. 3.7M estimated branded searches, -8% vs prior month. Share -3.1 points.
3.
Sony15.5%
Held 3rd. 3.6M estimated branded searches, -1.8% vs prior month. Share -1.9 points.
2.4%
Held 4th. 550K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -0.2 points.
5.
Bose1.6%
Held 5th. 370K estimated branded searches, +82.3% vs prior month. Share +0.6 points.
Compare popularity between Apple AirPods and its closest rivals
Every comparison with Apple AirPods
12 comparisons
How has branded search demand for Apple AirPods changed worldwide over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for Apple AirPods worldwide fell from 16.6M to 14.9M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Apple AirPods’ share of searches among ear buds brands worldwide decreased from 70.4% to 64.5%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Apple AirPods’ share of searches among ear buds brands worldwide peaked at 70.4% in October 2025 and was lowest at 58.9% in April 2026.
How did search popularity change for ear buds brands worldwide in September 2026?
5 changes
In September 2026, Apple AirPods gained share of searches among ear buds brands worldwide, from 59.9% to 64.5%.
In September 2026, Bose gained share of searches among ear buds brands worldwide, from 0.97% to 1.6%.
In September 2026, JBL lost share of searches among ear buds brands worldwide, from 19.1% to 16%.
In September 2026, Sony lost share of searches among ear buds brands worldwide, from 17.4% to 15.5%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Soundcore worldwide rose 22.2% over 12 measured months, from 450K to 550K in September 2026.
How are Apple AirPods’ branded searches counted?
4 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Apple AirPods’ name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.
- airpods
- airpods 4
- airpods pro
- airpods pro 3
Who owns Apple AirPods?
Apple AirPods is owned by Apple. Brandwave also tracks Pixelmator, Apple AirPods Max, Apple AirTag, Apple Books, Apple iPad, Apple iPhone, Apple MacBook, Apple Maps, Apple Music, Apple Passwords, Apple Podcasts, Apple Podcasts Subscriptions, Apple Reminders, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Apple Watch, FaceTime, Final Cut Pro, Find My, GarageBand, 
iCloud, iMovie, iWork, Keynote, Logic Pro, Safari and 
Xcode Cloud, owned by the same company, worldwide.
Do you work for Apple AirPods? To request corrections or removal please contact us via our support page and we will be happy to assist.
Where does Apple AirPods compete?
| Competitor set | Rank | Share of searches | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wireless earbud brands | 1st of 9 | 58.2% | Show ranking |
| Headphone brands | 1st of 10 | 58.9% | Show ranking |
| Wireless headphones brands | 1st of 10 | 59.8% | Show ranking |
| Ear buds brands | 1st of 5 | 64.5% | Shown above |
| Earphones brands | 1st of 8 | 64.8% | Show ranking |
Is Apple AirPods your brand?
Put your own campaigns, spend and outcomes next to this demand line, so you can see which of your marketing lined up with the movements above.